Combination article carrier

ABSTRACT

An apparatus for supporting a variety of articles from an individual&#39;&#39;s shoulder having a flexible shoulder strap provided with multiple integrally connected article supports and a pair of detachable article carrying pouches.

United States Patent [191 [111 3,796,357

Johnson Mar. 12, 1974 [54] COMBINATION ARTICLE CARRIER 2,087,309 6/1937srrim 'F 224/45H [76] Inventor: Darrell Johnson, 146 Hill St., FOREIGNPATENTS OR APPLICATIONS Thomson 30824 52,062 6/1933 Norway 224/58 [22]Filed: Jam 15 1973 1,198,768 12/1959 France 224/5 M [2]] Appl' 323490Primary Examiner-Gerald M. Forlenza Assistant ExaminerJerold M. Forsberg[52] US. Cl. 224/5 R, 224/45 T, 224/45 0, Attorney, g or Yates Dowel],

224/45 P [51] Int. Cl. A45f 3/02 57 ABSTRACT [58] Field of Search 224/5R, 5 M, 45 T, 47,

224/46 R 58 45 BA 45 H 43, 44 An apparatus for supportmg a variety ofarticles from an individuals shoulder having a flexible shoulder 56]References Cited strap provided with multiple integrally connected arti-UNITED STATES PATENTS cle supports and a pair of detachable articlecarrying h 3,564,590 2/1971 Hebe] 224/45 T UX pouc es 3,362,599 1/1968Galazin 224/45 T 2 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures PAIENTEBIARIZ 1914 3.796357n LIB ls l COMBINATION ARTICLE CARRIER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1.Field of the Invention This invention relates generally to articlecarrying devices of various kinds and relates particularly to apparatusfor supporting a variety of articles from an individuals shoulder whilethe hands of the individual remain free and unencumbered.

2. Description of the Prior Art In the past, the handling andtransporting of articles such as clothing, papers and other literature,personal effects, and the like, when a person is travelling away fromhome or changing his residence from one area to another, has normallybeen accomplished by using suitcases, trunks, brief cases and thelike.The packing of certain articles of clothing, such as suits,dresses, and other outerwear, has not been satisfactory due to thewrinkling of the clothing because of the confined space available. Toovercome the wrinkling some people have placed the clothing on hangersin either an exposed condition or within a protective bag or coveringand have carried the clothing with them. This also has not beensatisfactory since the hangers were difficult to handle and required theservides of at least one hand so that the clothing had to be placedsomewhere when two hands were required, as when purchasing tickets,buying merchandise, transacting travel business and the like. Someefforts have been made to provide a sling which was supported on anindividuals shoulder and on which articles of clothing mounted onhangers could be supported. Some examples of this type of structure areshown by the patents to Galazin U.S. Pat. No. 3,362,599 and Hebel U.S.Pat. No. 3,564,590. These structures have improved the situation buthave not been entirely satisfactory, particularly when it is desired toprovide structure for supporting papers and other literature such astickets, time schedules, personal papers and the like which a travellershould have on his person.

Historically saddle bags of various kinds have been provided forcarrying small articles when travelling on horseback, motorcycles,bicycles and the like so that the travellers hands were free; however,such saddle bags normally are connected together so that such bags couldnot be used independently. Some examples of this type of structure arethe patents to Pettus, U.S. Pat. No. 235,013; Wood, U.S. Pat. No.299,609; Marshall, U.S. Pat. No. 340,399; Alber, U.S. Pat. No.2,672,263; MacArthus, Jr., U.S. Pat. No. 2,813,602; and Greaves, U.S.Pat. No. 2,979,098.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An apparatus for supporting multiple articlesfrom an individuals shoulder comprising the combination of a flexiblecarrier or sling strap having loops formed at each end for supportingarticles mounted on hangers and having a protective pad or backingmember fixed to the strap beneath each loop. Such pads protect theclothing of the user and provide means by which articlc carrying pouchescan be attached to opposite ends of the strap in a manner to besupported thereby.

It is an object of the invention to provide a combination articlecarrier to be suspended over a persons shoulder and including a carrierstrap with looped ends through which articles on hangers or hooks can besupported and a pair of pouches which are removably mounted on thecarrier strap for transporting papers and small loose articles.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a perspective illustratingone application of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective of a shoulder strap with the pouches removed.

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the shoulder strap.

FIG. 4 is a side elevation thereof.

FIG. 5 is a front elevation of one of the pouches.

FIG. 6 is a side elevation thereof.

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary perspective to a reduced scale of a pouch withthe flap tucked into the same.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT With continued reference to thedrawing, an article carrier 10 is provided having a strap 11 constructedof leather, canvas, flexible reinforced thermoplastic material, or thelike having a central portion 12. The opposite ends of the strap aresecured by stitching 13 to the central portion to provide supportingloops 14 at each end which receive the hooks of conventional clotheshangers 15. A generally rectangular pad 16 is secured to the bottom ofeach of the loops 14 in any desired manner, as by stitching l7 and arivet 18 so that a diagonal line drawn from one corner of the pad to anopposite corner is aligned with the center line of the strap 11. Thepads 16 provide a protective padding between the shoulder of a personusing the carrier strap and the hooks of the hangers received within theloops 14 so that such hooks do not tear the persons clothing.

In order to carry papers, tickets, small personal effects and the likein an easily accessible position, one or more pouches 20 are selectivelyremovably mounted on the strap 11. Each of the pouches 20 is fabricatedof sheet material such as leather, imitation leather, thermoplastic, orother relatively stiff, flexible material and includes a front portion21 and back portion 22 connected by stitching 23 to an intermediate web24 defining the sides and bottom of the pouches. A flap 25 havinginwardly inclined upper edges 26 is connected to the back portion 22 bystitching 27 or other suitable fastening means. The flap 25 is providedwith a pair of spaced generally parallel, substantially vertical slots28 and a substantially horizontal slot 29.

As illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 5, the horizontal slot 29 is spaced fromthe vertical slots 28 and such slots are adapted to receive the comersof the rectangular protective pads 16. A score line or bend line 30extends from side to side of the flap 25 to facilitate bending of thesame. I

The pouches 20 may be supported by the pads 16 of the carrier 10, or ifdesired such pouches can be removed from the pads and usedindependently. When separated from the pads 16, papers and other smallarticles can be placed within a pouch after which theflap 25 is bentalong the score line 30 and is tucked into the pouch as illustrated inFIG. 7 so that the flap 25 closes the open upper portion of the pouch.By doing this the pouch can be used as an envelope or portable casecarried by the hands of the user. The separation of the pouch from thepads 16 in no way affects the capacity of the article carrier 10 forsupporting hangers 15.

In use, the combination carrier is easily and comfortably carried overan individuals shoulder, as shown in FIG. 1 with one end in front andthe other end behind the person for an even weight distribution. Theloops of the carrier strap provide a comfortable and balanced supportfor the hangers on which various garments or other articles aresuspended. The pouches are generally of a dimension great enough toreadily accept standard 8% X 1 1 inch paper and other relatively smallarticles. Normally, the web 24 is folded lengthwise like an accordian topermit the front 21 and back 22 to be located close together or to bespaced a substantial distance apart when expanded. The detachable natureand construction of the pouches permit them to be removed from thecarrier strap and used independently. a comfortable and balanced supportfor the hangers 15 on which various garments or other articles aresuspended. The pouches are generally of a dimension great enough toreadily accept standard 8 /2 X 1 1 inch paper and other relatively smallarticles. Normally, the web 24 is folded lengthwise like an accordian topermit the front 21 and back 22 to be located close together or to bespaced a substantial distance apart when exparided. The detachablenature and construction of the pouches permit them to be removed fromthe carrier strap and used independently.

1. An apparatus for supporting a plurality of articles from anindividuals shoulder comprising a flexible carrier strap to be disposedover a persons shoulder, said strap having a loop adjacent each end forreceiving hangers on which garments and other articles are supported, apad fixed to said strap under each of said loops to form a protectivebarrier between the loops and an individuals shoulder, an articlecarrying pouch removably mounted adjacent each end of the flexiblecarrier strap, each of said pouches having a flap, means on said flapfor selectively connecting said pouch to said strap and said selectiveconnecting means includes a plurality of slits in said flap throughwhich portions of said pads are inserted.

2. The structure of claim 1 in which said pad is generally rectangularand at least two corners of the pad are received in said slits.

1. An apparatus for supporting a plurality of articles from anindividual''s shoulder comprising a flexible carrier strap to bedisposed over a person''s shoulder, said strap having a loop adjacenteach end for receiving hangers on which garments and other articles aresupported, a pad fixed to said strap under each of said loops to form aprotective barrier between the loops and an individual''s shoulder, anarticle carrying pouch removably mounted adjacent each end of theflexible carrier strap, each of said pouches having a flap, means onsaid flap for selectively connecting said pouch to said strap and saidselective connecting means includes a plurality of slits in said flapthrough which portions of said pads are inserted.
 2. The structure ofclaim 1 in which said pad is generally rectangular and at least twocorners of the pad are received in said slits.